Journal Jog: Cancer survivor turns healing into helping

ELYRIA — Joyce Attie has been cancer-free for two years.
Now, the 73-year-old is more than a survivor — she’s a runner, volunteer and friend to others diagnosed with cancer.
Attie said she started everything late in life, including her love for running. Her daughter sparked Attie’s interest in running when Attie was in her 40s.
“I ran one time,” Attie said. “From then on, I was hooked.”
From 5Ks to 10Ks and two half-marathons in her 50s and 60s, Attie said she found comfort in running. She has participated in the Journal Jog since its start in 2010, skipping the event only when her husband fell ill and when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Attie lost her sister to cancer just months before her husband died. Once Attie became cancer-free, she devoted her life to reminding cancer patients that they are not alone in their fight. She volunteers at Mercy Cancer Center, where she serves as a listener to patients seeking answers — or merely friendship.
“It’s my second home,” Attie said. “There’s no strangers there.”
Mercy Cancer Center for Body, Mind and Spirit offers weekly support groups to patients suffering from various forms of cancer. Attie said support is free and her friendship is always available. Some days, she said she wakes up and goes to the cancer center simply because she’s in an uplifting mood.
Attie knows the fear that accompanies a battle with cancer. Walking into a cancer treatment center for the first time feels similar to walking into an empty gym, she recalled. In many cases, the patient’s family also struggles to manage its loved one’s illness. To alleviate the tension and fear, Attie sits and converses with patients to provide some positivity to an otherwise daunting situation.
“Once you go there, you’re a member for life,” Attie said.
Attie also said losing her sister and surviving her own battle with cancer altered her outlook on life.
“It’s a different life, I’m on a different path,” she said.
Her new path now includes running for a cause. Attie said she runs whenever she pleases, though her typical schedule consists of running three days before taking a day to rest. She runs alone, on the street in front of her Elyria home, and goes to the gym in the winter months to remain active.
On Aug. 3, Attie will participate in the Journal Jog again, a testament to those fighting cancer.
“I’m into this,” she said. “Every step I take is going to be an incentive for them to get better.”
Attie will be easy to spot with bright red hair dyed a multitude of colors and a hat that reads, “Life is good.”
Winning the race isn’t Attie’s main objective. Simply overcoming the course offers a great sense of elation for Attie, who knows that overcoming cancer is an even greater feat.
“I’m lucky because I’m very healthy,” she said. “I beat it and it’s not coming back.”